NSU Honors WWII Pilot And Alum With Statue

As the second highest-scoring Navy ace in U.S. history, South Dakota's Capt. Cecil E. Harris' achievements as a fighter pilot during World War II garnered him local and national recognition. Harris shot down 24 enemy warplanes in 81 days while never taking a single bullet in his own plane. The Cresbard native and Northern State University Alumni's accomplishments prompted his alma mater's decision to honor him with an 8-foot bronze statue in his likeness. The statue will be unveiled Saturday at 10 am on the lawn near the entrance of Spafford Hall on the NSU campus. Jerry Krueger is a retired Navy pilot who has been fighting for Harris to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for close to 15 years, and Benjamin Victor was commissioned to create the Harris statue. The two of them joined the program to discuss Harris' military career and the upcoming unveiling.

Capt. Cecil H. Harris will be honored with a bronze statue on the NSU campus